Dust in the Wind
by cameramandc
Summary: The world of Aliens and the world of Immortals collide. (x-over wHighlander).
1. Part 1

**"Dust in the Wind"**

Author: David   
Email: cameraman_dc@hotmail.com   
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, it does not belong to me. I am in no way associated with the WB, the UPN, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, Gregory Widen, Davis/Panzer Productions, or Rysher Entertainment.   
Summary: The world of Aliens and the world of Immortals are about to collide. (x-over w/ Highlander)   
Category: Crossover   
Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action/violence. (Don't worry, nothing too graphic.)   
Feedback : Go For It! 

**Chapter 1**

**Crashdown Cafe**   
**October 6, 2000**   
**5:00 PM**

Richie walked into the cafe after a long day of riding his bike. He had promised Mac he would deliver an antique sword to an "old" friend of his. Of course this delivery included him driving all the way from Seacouver to El Paso. Richie didn't mind though, he loved the open road, and now he was heading back. 

He had never been to Roswell, and decided to give it a look. The moment he rode into town he knew he would like this place. Almost everything in town was alien related, include the cafe he was in now. The thing that caught his attention most was the large UFO replica above the cafe. He just had to stop inside and see what it was like. 

Richie took a seat on a stool at the counter, and brushed some dust off his leather jacket. He noticed a cute little blonde walking towards him from behind the counter. 

"Hello and welcome to the crashdown cafe," the cute little blonde said pen and pad in hand. "May I take your order?" 

"Nothing really, I've been driving all day," Richie said. "I just thought I'd come in and rest for a moment." 

"Okay," the cute little blonde said. "Just let me know if you need anything." 

As Richie watched the cute little blonde walking away, swaggering her hips he began to feel a bit parched. He could definitely go for something to drink and at the same time start a conversation with the cute little blonde. 

But before Richie could say anything he sensed the presence of an immortal nearby. He quickly looked from left to right. Then he noticed that this feeling was weaker, not as strong as the average immortal. Richie knew it could only mean one thing, he was sensing someone that would become immortal. 

Richie then felt it coming from behind him. 

Richie looked over his shoulder to the booth where he noticed two kids sitting across from each other. The first one was a tall young man, kind of wiry and gangly. The other was an equally tall voluptuous blonde that looked like she could pose for MAXIM magazine. Richie found himself wondering if the two of them were a couple. They certainly didn't seem like they were each other's type. But he could tell by the way the boy was staring at the girl that there was some kind of attraction between the two of them. 

Richie kept wondering which one of the two was immortal, it had to be one of them. But which one? He was broken out of his thoughts as a someone approached their table. The two teens stopped their conversation and the blonde looked at the newcomer in awe. Richie laughed to himself as the boy quickly reached his hand out to shake. Poor kid, he didn't realize he didn't stand a chance against the older guy. After a moment the stranger left the cafe. 

Richie noticed a heavy silence fall upon the two teens. Soon afterwards the blonde got up from her seat in the booth and left. The kid stayed in his seat, drinking his orange soda. It was then that Richie knew it was the kid he could sense would become immortal. Richie left his stool at the counter and walked over the young man. 

"Mind if I join you?" Richie asked gesturing to the empty seat. 

The boy was hesitant for a moment before responding. 

"Not at all," the kid said shrugging his shoulders. 

Richie sat down, extended his hand across the table, and introduced himself to the young man. 

"The name's Richie Ryan," Richie said. "You?" 

The boy shook the hand, told Richie his name, and went back to drinking his soda. 

"So is she your girlfriend?" Richie asked nodding his head in the direction the blonde left. 

"I don't know," the kid responded. 

Richie had seen that look before, he had seen it on Duncan's face a hundred times. It was the look of heartbreak. The look of loving someone and not having that love returned. It was the look Duncan had when Tessa died, it was the look he had when Anne left him, and most recently when Amanda no longer spoke to him. Amanda had told Duncan that she need some time to think. Richie thought that was funny considering Duncan and Amanda had known each other for close to three hundred years. 

Richie turned his attention back to the young man. Over the next half hour the two talked about sports, music, and practically everything else. As it turned out the kid liked to play dodge ball, and in his spare time he played lead bass in a band. Of course the kid made sure to change the subject, whenever they came to discussing girls. 

For some reason Richie liked the kid, he saw something in him that he rarely saw in anyone else. He just couldn't put his finger on it. But then he looked the kid in the eye, and saw what it was. Contentment. He believed that the kid was quite content with his life in general, but there was something missing. There was something that he wanted. Something that either he couldn't have or didn't want him. 

Richie knew there was something he had to do. He decided to bring the conversation to a close and get started on his plan. 

"Well it was nice meeting you," Richie said shaking the kid's hand. 

"It was nice meeting you too," the kid said. "May we can meet again someday?" 

"I'm sure we will," Richie said under his breath. 

"Say is there a pay phone around here?" Richie asked as he stood up, stretching his back. 

"Yeah it's near the back," the kid said. "you can't miss it." 

"Thanks," Richie said heading towards the back. 

Richie made his way to the back, doing his best to avoid bumping into customers. As he finally made it to the phone, he reached into his pocked and withdrew the change he needed. Richie put his money into the phone and dialed the number of an old friend. 

After a few rings the phone was answered. 

"Hello, Joe Dawson speaking," Joe said over the phone. 

"Hey Joe it's Richie," Richie said into the receiver. 

"Richie, where you at?" Joe asked. 

"Roswell," Richie said. 

"As in the place where that ship supposedly crashed?" Joe asked. 

"That's the one," Richie said with a smile on his face. 

"So have you met any little green men?" Joe asked jokingly. 

"Nope," Richie said casting a glance towards the kid. "But I did meet someone I think the watchers might be interested in." 

"An immortal?" Joe asked, his voice becoming serious. 

"Not yet," Richie replied. "I need a favor." 

"What?" Joe asked. 

"I need you to put one of your watchers on him," Richie said. 

Richie could hear Joe sigh over the phone. Richie knew that Joe's status among the watchers was strained due to their involvement in the past. 

"Listen Joe I sat down and had a little chat with the kid," Richie said. "He's a good kid, and he doesn't know what's coming. All I'm asking is that when the kid dies let me know, he's gonna need someone to help him." 

"Alright Richie I will," Joe replied. 

"You know Richie I always considered you lucky," Joe said. "You had the great Duncan Macleod there to teach you." 

"Yeah," Richie said. "I've always thought I was lucky too. If it weren't for Duncan, I don't know what would have happened to me. That's why I want to be there for this kid, to make sure he can make it." 

"So does this kid have a name?" Joe asked. 

"Alex Whitman," Richie said. 

**TBC...**


	2. Part 2

**PART 2**

He had been digging for nearly an hour, his muscles flexed as he flung the dirt over his shoulder. Perspiration gathered on his forehead as he exerted himself to break up the earth beneath him. His shirt clung to his chest by patches of sweat, while smears of dirt were across his face. Richie continued working, removing the dirt from above Alex's coffin. 

So much time had passed that he had almost forgotten about Alex. A few months after meeting Alex, when now word came, it simply slipped his mind. It wasn't until he got a call from Joe, notifying him that Alex had died, did he remember everything. Richie borrowed Mac's car and sped the entire way to Roswell. Once inside Roswell he headed straight for the cemetery and the ceremony still going on. Richie waited, watching from a distance. After everyone had left, Richie decided that it might be safe to finally dig up Alex. But the tall blonde he had seen before showed up alone, she knelt at the base of the tombstone and just started crying. Richie couldn't hear what she was saying, but he could see her sobbing as she tried to speak. After some time she finally left, Richie wanted to start digging right away, but decided it be better to wait until after dark. 

Richie stopped digging when he felt his shovel hit something solid. Tossing the shovel aside, Richie knelt down and started to push the dirt aside with his bare hands. After a few brushes the lid to the coffin was revealed. Richie opened the coffin and looked inside. There Alex Whitman lay undisturbed. Grabbing Alex's body by his shoulders, Richie pulled him out of the coffin. Mustering his strength Richie crawled out of the grave, carrying Alex's body with him. 

While he waited for Alex to revive, Richie closed the casket, and began to replace the dirt upon it. Nearly twenty minutes had gone by and Alex's body had yet to move. While digging Richie glanced from time to time to where Alex's body lay. He felt sorry for the boy, the boy had lost everything. Richie himself was Alex's age when he became immortal, but at least he knew about immortals before he became. The thought that he would be immortal never even crossed his mind. 

Richie was close to being finished when Alex's eyes shot open and he gasped for air. Immediately Richie dropped the shovel and knelt beside Alex. 

"It's okay just breathe," Richie said putting a hand on Alex's shoulder. 

"What's going on?" Alex asked struggling to sit up. "Where am I?" 

Richie didn't know what to say, he had gone through the exact thing years ago. And yet he didn't know how to break it to the kid that he was an immortal now. 

"Hey Alex, do you remember me?" Richie asked. 

Alex struggled for a moment to remember, then a look of recognition crossed his face. 

"Yeah I remember you," Alex said. "We met last year at the crashdown." 

"That's right," Richie said. 

"Where are we?" Alex asked slowly panning his head from left to right. 

"Roswell Cemetery," Richied replied preparing for Alex to panic. 

"Why am I in the cemetery?" Alex asked with a frightened look. 

"Because you died," Richie said. 

"What?" Alex asked looking at Richie wide-eyed. 

"You were in a car accident," Richie started to explain. 

"No, I didn't die in a car accident," Alex said with determined certainty. 

Richie was taken aback for a moment, never had he seen such a look assurance. Of course he believed that the boy was merely in denial about the thought of being dead. But his curiosity got the best of him and he decided to press the issue. 

"Then how did you die?" Richie asked. 

"I...I...," Alex started, a variety of expressions crossed his face. "I can't remember." 

"Listen, right now I don't know what to believe," Alex said. "But I do know that I didn't die in a car wreck." 

Richie decided that the boy was probably suffering some form of Amnesia. Probably brought on by the accident itself. Richie stood up, and offered his hand to Alex, who promptly accepted it. 

"Listen I'll explain things to you on the way to Seacouver," Richie said helping Alex up. "Just let me finish filling the hole, and then we'll..." 

"NO!" Alex cut him off as he stood up. 

"What?" Richie asked 

"Listen, I don't know what you're trying to pull but this isn't funny," Alex said backing away from Richie. "I'm going to go home, take a shower, go to sleep, and meet with my friends. And you will stay away from me." 

"Alex what I've told you is the truth," Richie said pointing towards Alex's tombstone. 

Alex eyed the tombstone for a moment before speaking up. 

"Nice try, but that's fake," Alex said. "I'm outta here." 

"You can't go back Alex," Richie said taking a step towards him. 

"And why not?" Alex asked. 

"Because you died," Richie said. 

"Oh will you give it a rest already," Alex said. "If I died, then how am I still alive?" 

Richie took a deep breath before answering Alex. 

"You're alive because your immortal," Richie said. 

Alex stared at Richie with a blank look on his face, until he burst out laughing. Richie simply stood there for a moment, letting Alex get it out of his system. He knew it would be hard for Alex to deal with, but Alex laughing at the idea of being immortal was something that hadn't occurred to him. He decided that there was only one way to prove it to Alex. Richied turned around, his back towards Alex. 

"Say what are you doing there?" Alex asked still chuckling. 

Richie turned facing Alex, his sword in his right hand. At that moment Alex stopped laughing, his face grew pale. 

"What are you going to do with that?" Alex asked nervously. 

Richie quickly reached out and grabbed Alex by the wrist ignoring his protests to let him go. Richie brought the edge of the blade to Alex's hand and slowly dragged it across the palm. Alex cried out in pain, and tried to jerk his hand away. But Richie held firm until he had made a deep gash. When he was finished he released Alex's hand, 

"Aaaaaarrrggghhh!" Alex screamed in pain. "Are you crazy?" 

"Look at your hand," Richie said firmly. 

Alex looked and was amazed as he saw what seemed like bolts of electricity make it's way across the wound. After several seconds the wound was completely healed, no scar or anything. Alex reexamined his hand several times before finally looking up at Richie. 

"Wha-, how?" Alex stuttered before he fainted. 

**TBC...**


	3. Part 3

**PART 3**

Alex opened his eyes slowly, looking around he realized that he was lying in the back seat of someone's car. And while it had a nice interior, it was quite uncomfortable for him to sleep in. Alex slowly sat up, letting his back and legs stretch. He looked out the front windshield of the car and saw a diner. Looking out the rear window Alex saw a lonely piece of highway surrounded by a desert with mountains in the background. Alex looked at his clothes and noticed he was wearing a suit, suddenly memories of all the events from earlier came back to him. 

"Now where am I?" Alex asked as he opened the door and got out of the car. Looking back at the car he saw it was a black Ford T-bird. 

Alex took no more than two steps when he felt a sharp buzzing pain in his head. He gripped his head in his hands, not understanding what was happening to him. Alex then realized that the buzzing sensation was coming from somewhere. Alex looked around, wondering where it was coming from. It wasn't until he turned to the diner that he realized it was coming from within. Determined to know what was going on Alex headed to the Diner. Once inside the diner Alex saw Richie sitting at a booth and eating. Alex walked over and sat across from Richie. 

"I was wondering when you were gonna wake up," Richie said before gesturing to the food in front of him. "Want something to eat?" 

"No thank you," Alex said. "My stomach's a bit upset right now." 

"Suit yourself," Richie said taking a bite of his food. 

"So where are we?" Alex asked. 

"About fifty miles north of Denver," Richie said. 

"Where are you taking me?" Alex asked. 

"I'm taking you to meet Mac," Richie said. "He can explain what's happening to you much better than I can." 

At that moment Alex felt the buzzing sensation in his head again, thankfully this time it was less painful. Alex noticed Richie turn his head slightly. Alex wondered if Richie felt it also, but then he saw Richie reach into his leather jacket and turn his head in the direction of the door to the Diner. Just that moment a man who appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties, with short black hair walked in. The man spotted Alex and Richie and made his way towards their table. 

"Mac!?!" Richie exclaimed removing his hand from his jacket. "How did find us?" 

"I got Joe to tell me," Duncan said as he pulled a chair up to the booth and sat down. "He contacted your watcher, and got me directions on how to find you. You've never handled a situation like this before, so I decided to come and help out." 

The older man spoke with an accent that Alex couldn't quite place, it sounded like a variety of accents all rolled into one. Almost as if this man had been from many different places. 

"Duncan Macleod," Duncan introduced himself holding his hand out. 

"Alex Whitman," Alex said shaking Duncan's hand. "Can you tell me what's going on?" 

"I guess I'll start from the beginning," Duncan said. "I was born in the highlands of Scotland, in Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel in 1592." 

Alex smiled for a minute thinking he was joking, but seeing the serious look that Duncan and Richie were giving him he knew they were telling him the truth. 

"Well you look great for...what?" Alex asked thinking. "Four hundred?" 

"Four hundred and nine to be exact," Duncan said. 

"And how old are you?" Alex asked looking at Richie. 

"How old do I look Alex?" Richie said. 

"I dunno, eighteen? nineteen?" Alex guessed. 

"I had just turned nineteen when I died," Richie said. "That was eight years ago, I'm actually twenty-seven years old." 

"How is that possible?" Alex asked. 

"You, I, and Richie are part of a race of beings known as immortals," Duncan said. "You'll never get sick, you'll never grow old, and you'll never die." 

Alex took a moment to absorb what Duncan said. "Okay," was his response. 

"How did we become immortal?" Alex asked. "Is this an alien thing?" 

"Aliens?" Duncan asked, his brow knitted with confusion. 

"Oh I forgot too mention," Richie said. "Alex here is from Roswell, New Mexico. You know the place where that spaceship supposedly crashed." 

'If only you knew,' Alex thought to himself. 

"Oh I see," Duncan said. "Honestly we don't know, No immortal knows why we're here." 

"Not even a five thousand year old pain in the neck," Richie muttered under his breath. 

"What?" Alex asked. 

"Oh nothing, just a thought," Richie said. "You know you've been taking this pretty well." 

"Oh I've seen some things that are pretty far out there," Alex said raising his eyebrows and nodding his head. 

Duncan didn't know what to make of Alex's comment, but decided to let that it slide as Alex began speaking him. 

"When I was in the parking lot I felt this strange feeling in my head," Alex said. "And before you came into the Diner I felt it again. Is that a part of being immortal?" 

"Yes," Duncan answered. "That's how we sense that another immortal is near." 

"Is it always that painful?" Alex asked rubbing his temples. 

"Only at first," Richie said. "After a while you get used to it." 

"So where are we going?" Alex asked. 

"Back to my place in Seacouver," Duncan said. "So I can teach you." 

"Teach me what?" Alex asked 

"How to fight, how to survive, how to blend in and disappear," Duncan said. 

"How to fight!?!" Alex exclaimed. "Why would I need to learn that?" 

Richie stopped eating, he knew this part would be the hardest for Alex to accept. 

"Alex someday you're going to meet an immortal and he's going to try to kill you." Duncan said. "You're going to have to learn to defend yourself." 

"But if I'm immortal how can I die," Alex asked. "You see it's bad enough I was already confused before, now I'm really clue less." 

"You may be immortal Alex," Duncan said. "But there is a way you can die." 

"How?" Alex asked. 

"You can be killed if your head is cut off," Richie said. 

Alex froze at hearing this and looked towards Richie. 

"That's why you have a sword," Alex said quietly. 

Richie nodded. 

"Why would an immortal try to kill me?" Alex asked. 

"To take your quickening," Duncan said. "When an immortal takes the head of another immortal, he receives all the knowledge, skill, and powers of the immortal he killed. This is called the quickening." 

"What if I don't want to fight," Alex said. 

"I never wanted to fight, to be immortal, to be a part of the game," Duncan said. "But it happened, and I have no choice in the matter whatsoever. And believe me Alex this isn't something you can avoid. It's your destiny, you can't run from it, you can't hide from it, and there's no way out of it. One day an immortal will come for you, the two of you will fight, and only one of you will walk away alive." 

"Why does it have to be this way?" Alex asked. 

"Because that's the number one rule," Duncan said. "In the end there can be only one." 

"You mean one immortal?" Alex asked. 

Both Duncan and Richie nodded. 

"And what happens when their's only one?" Alex asked. 

"The last remaining immortal will receive the prize," Duncan said. 

"What's the prize?" Alex asked. 

"The prize is all the knowledge and power of every immortal that has ever lived," Duncan said. "Enough power to either save the world or destroy it." 

"What about my friends? My family?" Alex asked. "Can I at least go see them? Let them know I'm alive and well?" 

Richie reached into his coat pocket to remove several newspaper clippings. He laid them on the table and slid them over to Alex. 

"You should read these first," Richie said. 

Alex took the clippings and recognized them as part of the Roswell Newspaper. Alex read the headline, 'Local youth killed in apparent suicide'. Alex turned started reading the one which the obituaries were on, singling out the one annoucing his funeral time. Alex tried reading but his eyes kept blurring, he was crying. Here he was in a Diner in the middle of nowhere, crying in front of two men who he didn't know. But none of that mattered to him at the moment. All that mattered was one word. One word that kept echoing in his mind. 

Suicide. They think he committed suicide, they think he took his own life. He didn't remember how he died, but he knew for sure that he didn't kill himself. Everyone he had ever known and cared about believed that he drove his car head on into that semi. And they would continue to believe that for the rest of their lives. He couldn't just let them go on thinking that, he had to let them know it wasn't true. Alex looked up, tears rolling down his cheeks. 

"They think I killed myself," Alex choked out. "They know me, they know I would never have done anything like that. I have to tell them it's not true." 

"Listen Alex," Richie said handing Alex a napkin. "I know more than anything you want to go back to the life you once lead. But you have to let it go. Would you be able to watch everyone you ever loved grow old and die while you remain young forever?" 

Alex didn't know how to answer that. Taking the napking from Richie he wiped the tears from his face. Could he deal with having to watch Liz or Maria fade away into nothing. And then there was Isabel, the girl he loved. The girl he would die for. And now that he couldn't die, could he bear to just sit there and watch her die? Alex was so confused, he didn't know what to do. 

"Come to Seacouver with us," Duncan said. "We'll help you to get through this, we'll teach you what you need to know. You have to decide what's best for you and your loved ones. And when the time comes and you feel that you still need to meet with them, then we'll help you with that too." 

Alex sat there, contemplating his situation. They had a point. He could never go back to his life in Roswell, not now, not ever. To the world Alex Charles Whitman was dead. And there was nothing he could do about it. He was immortal now, part of a game that had existed since the beginning of time. A game that knew no mercy, a game that chose people against their will and forced them to fight in a contest of kill or be killed. He had no choice but accept what Duncan had told him, that this was his destiny. 

"Okay," Alex said realizing it was his only option. 

"Well let's get going," Duncan said getting up from his chair. "We've got a long trip ahead of us." 

"Oh, Alex," Richie said sliding out of the booth. "I don't mean to be rude or anything but could you please stop that. It's becoming really annoying." 

"What?" Alex asked, looking up at Richie with a confused expression on his face. 

"That," Richie said pointing towards the table. 

Alex looked down and was surprised, he didn't even know that throughout the entire conversation his hand had been tapping the tabletop. 

**TBC...**


	4. Part 4

**PART 4**

Max sat at his lunch table quietly eating his lunch, every once in a while he stole a glance at the table where Liz was sitting. He remembered the argument he had with her the day before. Of course she had every right to be upset, her best friend for ages had died. But what right did she have to say that what happened to Alex was caused by an alien. Max only hoped that Liz would wise up and stop deluding herself into thinking that an alien was responsible for Alex's death. 

He wondered why Liz couldn't just accept it, Alex had killed himself. Max believed it, why couldn't she? All that mattered was that what happened to Alex was not alien related. Even if it was alien related, which Max seriously doubted. He had warned the humans time and again that being near him would only get them hurt. If Alex's death was caused by an alien, then it was his own fault. He shouldn't have been mixed up in this business in the first place. But Max didn't have to worry, because the bottom line was that Alex had committed suicide. Max knew this was true, it had to be. 

Because if Alex really was killed by an alien... 

'No,' Max thought to himself urgently. 'Alex's death was not caused by an alien. You are not responsible for anything.' 

Max got up and made his way to Liz's table. He would talk to Liz, give her a chance to apologize for what she said the other day. She would realize that she was wrong in her speculations behind Alex's death. Help her get through her mourning. She would see things his way, and that would be the end of that. 

Max sat down next to Liz, who looked at him in surprise. 

"Hey," Max said. 

"Hey," Liz said. 

"Listen Liz about yesterday..," Max started. 

"Um Max I'm kinda busy right now," Liz said writing on a sheet of paper. 

Max stole a glance at the paper Liz was writing on. On the sheet was a list, with the words 'What I Know' at the top of it. He caught the words 'Binary Code', 'Concert Tickets', and 'Leanna.' Max became upset, he decided to put an end to this. 

"Liz what do you think you're doing?" Max asked. 

"I'm doing what you should be doing?" Liz responded. "I'm looking for Alex's killer." 

"Liz, this has to stop," Max said before adding firmly. "Alex killed himself." 

Liz closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Afterwards she ignored Max and continued writing down notes. 

"So you think that Khivar killed Alex because he was in love with Isabel?" Max asked. 

"Listen Max I know...," Liz started. 

"You don't know anything about us," Max snarled. 

"And you don't know anything about Alex," Liz snapped back. 

Max was taken aback for a moment and was about to say something when Liz spoke first. 

"You didn't grow up with Alex," Liz said. "He wasn't your best friend. He never comforted you when things got rough." 

"You don't know that when I was nine years old I got sick and had to stay in the hospital for a week," Liz said. "You don't know that Alex spent the night in my room with me so I wouldn't be alone. Even when the hospital made a huge fuss about it, he wouldn't leave my side for a second." 

"I trusted Alex," Liz said her eyes beginning to water. "He was the closest I ever had to a brother, I never once doubted him. And the only time I ever did was when I listened to you to lie to him about switching the blood. I told you that we could trust Alex, but you made me feel like I couldn't. I didn't treat Alex the way you treat Isabel or Michael." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Max asked. 

"Do you remember when Lonnie and Rath pretended to be Isabel and Michael?" Liz asked. "You were actually going to leave your own sister and best friend who you had know for years here on earth. And all for what? Because she betrayed in her former life? I didn't treat him like I had to be careful that I couldn't completely trust him. I would have never turned my back on Alex or Maria no matter what came between us. Never." 

Max remained silent. 

"The truth is Max I was closer to Alex than you ever were to Michael and Isabel," Liz said before gathering her things and leaving her lunch table. Max just sat there watching Liz walk off. 

**TBC...**


	5. Part 5

**PART 5******

Duncan stared at the stretch of highway in front of him, occasionally glancing back to check on Alex. They had been riding in silence since they left the Diner. Duncan knew what the boy was going through, he himself had gone through the exact same thing 379 years before. He knew what it was like to be confused, but most of all he remembered how scared he felt. 

Two years, for two years Duncan wandered the wilderness of scotland. Totally unaware of what he was, until he met Connor. 

At the thought of his old mentor, Duncan returned his attention to Alex, trying to get his mind off of Connor. 

In the four hundred years he'd been alive Duncan had been there when humans had been reborn as immortals. The situation was always the same, but this was different. He couldn't quite place it, but there was something in his eyes. As if he had faced strange and unusual situations before. And what was that question about aliens? 

"How you doing back there Alex?" Duncan asked. 

"I'm...," Alex started. "Not so good." 

"Why don't you tell us about yourself?" Duncan said. 

"What'd you like to know?" Alex asked. 

"Anything," Duncan said. "I heard you're from Roswell." 

"Yeah," Alex said nodding. 

"Were you born there?" Duncan said. 

"No, actually I moved there when I was seven," Alex said. "My father's a computer programmer, and he got a job there." 

"So you meet any aliens?" Richie asked jokingly. 

"NO!" Alex shouted wide-eyed. 

Duncan and Richie looked back at Alex, noticing how quickly loudly Alex had answered their question. 

"So I'm gonna be hunted for the rest of my life?" Alex asked changing the subject. "So I'm not safe anywhere?" 

"No," Duncan said. "You're safe on holy ground." 

"Why's that?" Alex asked. 

"It's one of our rules," Duncan said. "We cannot fight on any form of holy ground." 

"Really?" Alex asked skeptically. "What if someone decides to just forget the rules?" 

"No immortal, no matter how evil, would ever break that rule," Duncan said. 

"Well that's a relief," Alex said. 

Suddenly something occurred to Alex, and he leaned towards Richie. 

"Hey wait a minute," Alex said. "If we can't fight on holy ground, how were you able to cut my hand in the cemetery? I mean that is holy ground isn't it?" 

"We weren't exactly fighting now were we?" Richie asked with a sly smile. "And besides the rules can't be broken, but that doesn't mean they can't be bent." 

"Richie?" Duncan said shaking his head. 

"I had to show the kid he was immortal," Richie said. 

"Must be hell for your kids?" Alex said looking out the window. 

Duncan and Richie shared a look before Duncan returned his attention to Alex. Duncan knew that this would be even harder for Alex to take. 

"That is a hell that we are spared," Duncan said solemnly. 

"What do you mean?" Alex asked leaning closer. 

"What I mean is that we can't have children," Duncan said. 

"You mean we're not allowed to?" Alex asked. 

"No Alex what I mean is that it's impossible for us to have children," Duncan said. 

"Basically what Mac is trying to say is that you'll be shooting blanks for the rest of your immortal life," Richie said. 

Duncan glared at Richie, before turning his attention to Alex. The look on the Alex's face was that of sorrow. The boy was tired, he had been through alot in one day. 

"Listen try to get some rest," Duncan said. "We'll be in Seacouver by the end of the day." 

"Alright," Alex said laying back in his seat, sleep overcoming him quickly. 

"So what do you think?" Richie asked. 

"He's a good kid," Duncan said. "It's a shame it had to happen to him. Seems like he had everything going for him." 

"Yeah," Richie said. "It's just something doesn't seem right." 

"What's that?" Duncan asked. 

"You know about him not remembering how he died," Richie said. 

"You know Richie that immortals can experience amnesia," Duncan said. "He probably suffered some severe head trauma in the accident." 

"Yeah," Richie said. "It's just..." 

"What?" Duncan asked. 

"The way he said it," Richie said. "It's as if he knew without a doubt in his mind that he didn't die in a car accident." 

"I know," Duncan admitted. 

"So what do you think really happened?" Richie asked. 

"I'll have to talk to Joe," Duncan said looking out the window. 

**TBC...**


	6. Part 6

**PART 6**

The black t-bird pulled to a stop in front of the building. Alex stepped out of the car and entered the building right behind Duncan and Richie. 

When he entered the first floor Alex noticed that it was a martial arts dojo. He saw several large mats all over the floor. His eyes swept across the various weapons that adorned the walls. In the back was an office and a freight elevator to which Alex followed Duncan and Richie. 

"Was that a dojo down there?" Alex asked Duncan while they rode the freight elevator to the next floor. 

"Yeah I own it," Duncan said. 

"Cool," Alex said impressed. "I used to watch some kung fu flicks with my friend Maria when I was younger. And after we saw one we'd usually try to fight each other. And yet every time Maria would beat the heck out of me." 

Duncan and Richie stared at Alex silently. 

"Forget I said that," Alex said after a moment. 

"Okay," Duncan and Richie said in unison. 

"You know you never said you owned a dojo," Alex said quickly changing the subject. 

"Well, you never asked," Duncan said raising the gate and stepping out of the elevator. 

While Alex looked around Duncan's loft, Duncan signaled Richie to follow him to the closet. 

"Richie keep an eye on him while I go talk to Joe," Duncan whispered as he headed to his closet. 

"No problem," Richie whispered back. 

"I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch," Duncan said as he opened his closet and removed a pillow and blanket. 

"Not at all," Alex said. 

"Here you go Alex," Duncan said handing Alex the blanket and a pillow. "Richie's going to help you get settled in, I have to meet with someone right now." 

"Alright," Alex said 

Duncan head back to the elevator. 

"Duncan," Alex called after him. 

Duncan turned back to Alex. 

"Thanks," Alex said. "For everything." 

"No problem," Duncan said nodding. "And call me Mac." 

**Joe's Bar**

Joe was pouring a beer for a customer when he noticed Duncan walk into the bar. He knew that Duncan would be coming in soon or later. Joe also knew that Duncan would be asking questions about a certain boy turned immortal. This had been the thing that Joe had been wanting to avoid ever since Duncan had called him earlier yesterday about where Richie had gone. 

"Alright folks time to call it a night," Joe called out to the remaining patrons. 

Duncan found himself a seat at one of the tables while the customers left. As soon as the last one was out the door Joe finally spoke to Duncan. 

"Hey Mac," Joe asked throwing a cleaning cloth over his shoulder. "What can I do for you?" 

"What can you tell me about Alex Whitman?" Duncan asked. 

"Oh that," Joe said. "Did Richie find the kid?" 

"He's at my place right now," Duncan said. "I need to know the how he died." 

"Kid died in a car accident," Joe said as he took the cloth from his shoulder and began cleaning empty beer glasses. "And from what I hear it was apparently a suicide." 

"What did his watcher say?" Duncan asked. 

"Well about his watcher...," Joe began concentrating on a particular glass. 

"You did assign Alex a watcher didn't you?" Duncan asked. 

"Yeah I did," Joe said hesitantly. "But.. 

"But what?" Duncan asked his brow furrowing. 

"Listen Mac," Joe said putting the beer glass down. "I couldn't pull a professional watcher out of the field to keep an eye on a preimmortal." 

"So what did you do," Duncan asked. 

"His name is William," Joe said stepping around the bar to join Duncan. "He completed training two weeks before he started watching Alex." 

"So you put a rookie on Alex?" Duncan asked as Joe approached him. 

"It was all I could do Mac," Joe said sitting in the stool next to Duncan. "And let me tell you something Mac. This kid was involved in some weird shit." 

"What do you mean?" Duncan asked. 

"November twelfth two thousand," Joe said. "Nine o' eight am. Alex Whitman is having breakfast at the crashdown cafe. Ten thirty eight AM, Alex Whitman is having breakfast at the crashdown cafe." 

"So he ate breakfast twice," Duncan said. "What's wrong with that?" 

"No Mac," Joe said. "William reported that an hour and a half had passed without him or anyone else knowing it." 

"What?" Duncan asked. 

"Here's another one," Joe said. "About a week later, Alex Whitman walks into the UFO Museum. Inside are six of his friends, Liz Parker, Max Evans, Michael Guerin, Maria Deluca, Isabel Evans, and Tess Harding. When Alex arrives so do three people that look exactly like Michael, Isabel, and Tess." 

"Listen to this," Joe said reading. "Alex and his friends gathered in Frazier woods with shovels and start digging holes all over the place. Alex and Kyle appeared to have stumbled upon some kind of underground cave. The two enter the cave and they don't come out. When William got to where they were he found the entrance covered in, oh you're not going to believe this." 

"What?" Duncan asked. 

"Blue Crystals," Joe said. 

"Excuse me," Duncan said. 

"You heard me," Joe said. "Several hours later Liz Parker, Tess Harding, Max & Isabel Evans arrive. Liz is speaking into a cell phone, as it turns out she is talking to Kyle. He and Alex were trapped underneath them in the cave." 

"So what happened?" Duncan asked. 

"Well nothing really," Joe said. "William reported seeing the two Evans kids placing their hands over the crystals for some reason. Anyway one of them left, and a few hours later Alex and Kyle came up from out of the cave. After everyone had left William checked out the cave and found nothing in it." 

Duncan was silent as Joe got up from his stool and moved behind the bar to retrieve a shot glass and a bottle of bourbon. 

"Now this is the thing that has kept me up since last night," Joe said as he poured a shot. "For two months, from November twenty seventh to January twenty seventh, Alex Whitman had relocated to Las Cruces University. And for those two months he practically never left the room he was staying. The only times he ever did leave his room was to visit the computer center on campus." 

"Did you happen to find out what he was working on?" Duncan asked. 

"Wlliam tried to access what Alex was working on," Joe said. "But he wasn't able to come up with anything. You should ask Alex what he was working on." 

"What do you think Joe?" Duncan asked. 

"I don't know Mac," Joe said. "These kids today, there into all types of strange things." 

"What about the accident?" Duncan asked. 

"I'm still trying to figure that out," Joe said. "April twenty-third, William had been keeping surveillance on Alex's house in his car from across the street. When suddenly Alex came running out of his house, jumped in his car, and took off like a bat out of hell." 

"So that's how it happened," Duncan said. "Did William see the accident?" 

"Actually no," Joe said. "When Alex drove off he was speeding, William tried to keep up with him but he got pulled over by some Sheriff named Hanson. By the time he was finally able to get the away and get back on the road he had lost all trace of Alex. It wasn't until he came upon the accident scene did he realize what had happened." 

"So Alex really did die in a car accident," Duncan said. With his head lowered, Duncan sighed. He hated to have to break the news to Alex that he really had died in a car accident. Duncan returned his gaze to Joe, and noticed the look on his face. 

"Joe?" Duncan asked. 

"The crash down cafe is north of Alex's place," Joe said. "When Alex left his house, he headed due south. Not too mention there's a forty-five minute gap from when he left his house to when the accident took place." 

"So what happened?" Duncan asked. 

"I guess the only person that really does know," Joe said. "Is Alex." 

Duncan nodded, admitting the answers to all his questions couldn't be found out by the watchers. But were locked in Alex's head. 

"What's on your mind Joe?" Duncan asked. "I can always tell when something's bothering you." 

"I've never even met this kid Mac," Joe said. "But from what William told me, Alex seems to be a good kid. Someone that didn't deserve this." 

"None of us deserved this," Duncan said as he left the bar. 

**TBC...**


	7. Part 7

**PART 7**

"The horror, the horror," Alex muttered as he rummaged through Duncan's fridge. Going the entire day without eating a single thing had finally caught up with Alex. After practically searching the entire kitchen he was starting to get desperate. Not to say Duncan didn't have anything to eat. On the contrary, everything in Duncan's kitchen was edible, not too mention expensive. But Alex was searching for something that didn't require a long and complicated preparation. 

"Four hundred years old and he can't keep a couple of microwave dinners lying around," Alex said with a sigh finally deciding to wait for Duncan to get back. 

Richie left a few minutes earlier, he didn't want to leave Alex alone but he had to get back to his place. Alex assured Richie that'd he be okay and he'd just wait for Duncan to return. As Alex waited he wandered around the loft, merely looking around. The walls of Duncan's loft were covered old photos and paintings. In one photograph Alex saw Duncan with a mustache and wearing some sort of soldier's uniform. Looking closer he saw the date nineteen seventeen written in the corner of the photo. Alex chuckled, for him the whole being immortal deal was still sinking in. 

Alex continued looking around Duncan's loft. Taking a quick glance out the window as he passed by it Alex immediately froze in his tracks. There, in the distance, no more than a few blocks from the loft, were the pair of golden arches. Signaling Alex like a key to his salvation. 

'It shouldn't take too long to get there,' Alex thought to himself. 'Besides I'll be right back.' 

Alex left the door unlocked and quietly slipped out of the loft. Ten minutes later Alex was walking on his way back to the loft from the resteraunt, silently cursing to himself. In his haste to feed himself Alex had forgotten that he had absolutely no money. Not a dime to his name. His stomach still grumbling Alex once again felt the buzzing sensation in his head. Looking from left to right Alex noticed the street was completely bare, except for one other person walking down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. 

The stranger across the street stopped in his tracks and turned his head towards Alex. After only a moment's hesitation the stranger walked across the street until he stood a few feet away from Alex. 

"I am Gerard Chevalier," the tall stranger said. 

"Uhm hi," Alex said. "I'm Alex Whitman." 

The corner of Gerard's lip curled into a smile as he reached into his coat and removed a sword. 

"Hey wait a minute," Alex said quickly raising his hands in defense. 

Gerard took a step towards Alex, who nervously began to backaway. 

"Listen I know that you and I are supposed to do this whole battle to death...beheading...thing," Alex said. "But I'm not really up for it right now. I just got into this whole immortal thing yesterday and so what I'm thinking is that you can go your way, I'll go mine, and we can forget we ever met." 

Alex held his breath, awaiting the stranger's response. 

"Fair enough," Gerard said lowering his sword. 

Alex exhaled heavily, a wave of relief washing over him. Suddenly Alex felt an excruciatingly sharp pain in the side of his belly. Looking down Alex saw Gerard's sword impaled in the side of his abdomen. 

"Stupid boy," Gerard merely muttered as he tightened his grip on the hilt and twisted the blade in Alex's side. 

"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" Alex cried out in agony falling to his knees. 

"If you know you're immortal then you already know the first rule," Gerard said. "There can be only one." 

Alex's hands were frantically roaming the ground beneath him, searching for something, anything he could use to defend himself. Finally his fingers made contact with a small chunk of brick, grasping it in his hand Alex hurled it. The brick made contact with Gerard's forehead causing Gerard to fall backward pulling the blade from Alex's gut. Gerard was crouched a few feet away, his forehead bleeding profusely. Alex scrambled to his feet and began running away from Gerard. 

Alex continued to move as quickly as he could down the street, stumbling and at one point almost tripping. His hands clutched to the left side of his abdomen, he could feel the blood seeping from the wound. His vision started to get blurry. Soon he found himself running short of breath, and just when he thought he couldn't go any further Alex collapsed with a loud thud. 

There he was lying in the middle of the street, gasping for breath. In the distance Alex could hear the footsteps getting louder. Alex mustered what strength he had left and began crawling. Where to? Right at that moment Alex didn't care. So long as he was off the street. Raising his head Alex looked forward and saw stairs leading to two large doors. Alex crawled towards them hoping to get inside before Gerard reached him. 

He had made it up eight steps before his arms gave out, Alex laid on the steps helpless. Alex new it was inevitable now, he was going to die for real this time. 

Gathering his last bit of strength Alex rolled over and looked up the stars. At that moment he thought about Isabel. He wondered what she was doing, if she was okay. He recalled the time the two of them sat in the woods watching the stars together. Alex smiled at the thought of it, it was a good memory. One he was glad to have experienced before he died. He listened as the footsteps got closer and louder. Alex continued listening until rather suddenly the footsteps stopped. 

After a moment the footsteps started, only this time they were slower. Alex watched as Gerard leaned over him with his sword drawn and smiled. 

Alex closed his eyes and waited for the death blow to come. After a few moments Alex opened his eyes and saw Gerard standing several feet away, tucking his sword into his overcoat. 

"Pretty smart kid," Gerard said. "Catch ya later." 

Alex continued to watch as Gerard walked down the street and disappeared into an alleyway. 

Slowly sitting up, Alex found that his strength had begun returning to him. His vision was no longer blurry and it became easier to breathe. Alex looked at the area where Gerard had stabbed him and saw a gash in his t-shirt, covered in drying blood. But no wound to be found anywhere. 

Hesitantly Alex touched the area where the wound had been been. The second his fingers made contact with the skin, Alex winced in slight pain. The flesh was still sore, evidence that he was not completely healed yet. After a bit of wobbling Alex made it back up to his feet. 

Recalling what Gerard had said to him about hiding on holy ground, Alex looked up and discovered he had been laying on the steps of a church. 

**TBC...**

*Disclaimer* Gerard is a fictitious character created for this story. 


	8. Part 8

**PART 8**

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Isabel screamed as she shot up in bed. 

"No...," Isabel gasped as her fingers desperately clutched the bed spread. She sat shakily in bed covered in a fine sheet of sweat. 

The door to Isabel's room suddenly burst open as Max ran to kneel by his sister's side. 

"Isabel!?!" Max asked. 

Max immediately took Isabel's hand into his own and asked her what was wrong. Isabel just sobbed while Max just kneeled there, a moment later Philip and Diane Evans rushed into Isabel's room. Max stepped away as Diane immediately wrapped her arms around her daughter while Philip stood by his hand gently resting on Isabel's shoulder. 

"What's wrong!?!" Philip asked. 

"I think she had a nightmare," Max said. 

"Oh my poor baby," Diane said as she held her daughter. 

"What was it about?" Philip asked. 

"I...I...don't remember," Isabel said. "It just felt so awful." 

Isabel sat there rocking in her mother's arms as her father asked her if she was okay. 

"I'm okay," Isabel said. "I'm okay, I just...it was just a bad dream. I'm okay now." 

"Are you sure?" Diane asked 

Isabel nodded, wiping away tears as she laid back down in bed. Diane pulled the sheet up and covered Isabel and kissed her on the forehead before leaving with Philip. 

Max lingered in the doorway, watching Isabel for a moment before speaking. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Max asked. 

"Yes," Isabel said. "See I'm already going back to sleep." 

Max was unconvinced. 

"Isabel.." Max started. 

"Night Max," Isabel said turning on her side away from Max. 

Max nodded and went back to his room. 

Isabel laid in bed staring at the ceiling, she couldn't sleep. As if losing Alex wasn't bad enough, now she had nightmares to contend with. It seemed so real to her, the feeling that someone was chasing her. No matter how fast she ran, she just couldn't seem to get away. After an hour Isabel finally fell asleep, her hand unconsciously rubbing the side of her abdomen. 

**TBC...**


	9. Part 9

**PART 9**

Her hands wouldn't stop shaking. 

There she stood underneath the showerhead, furiously scrubbing her skin as if she were trying to wash the guilt itself away. She had stood with the others during Alex's wake, she had watched them argue over the circumstances of Alex's death. She watched as Liz, Maria, and Kyle agree that Alex's death was caused by an alien. If only they knew that she was that alien. 

Her hands wouldn't stop shaking. 

After she got back from Alex's wake she cleaned practically every inch of the house, rode Jim's excerise bike, even tried meditation that she had read in one of Kyle's books. But no matter what she tried her hands wouldn't stop shaking. 

She had asked herself time and time again. Why? Why were they shaking? And why wouldn't they stop? But she already knew the answers to those questions. She had killed someone, and not just anyone, one of the only real friends she ever had. He trusted her, accepted her, and in the end she betrayed him, used him, and killed him. 

It happened so fast, she was sitting in bed painting her toenails when Alex burst into the room. He started pacing around the room ranting and raving. At first Tess didn't know what to make of his behaviour. And then it finally occured to her. The mindwarp had warn off, she didn't know if that was even possible but it had happened. She began to panic, this wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to remember anything, now that he knew he was going to tell the others. She mindwarped Alex again, so that he wouldn't remember what he had discovered. Only this time Alex died as a result of the mindwarp, it killed him. 

All her thoughts came to a halt when a single tear fell down her cheek. She angrily wiped the tear away and stepped out of the shower. She hadn't broken down yet and she wasn't about to now. She stood in front of the vanity mirror and looked herself straight in the eye. 

"Stop it," she said to herself. "You did what you had to do. Alex would have ruined everything. You're going home and nothing is going to get in your way." 

Convinced that the problem was taken care of, Tess stepped back into the shower. She began lathering her legs when she noticed that her hands were still shaking. She froze in place, her mind in deep thought. Tess sat on the floor of the shower stall, pulling her knees up to her chest. She could barely breathe, until she finally cried out. 

"Oh Alex! I'm sorry," Tess sobbed, her face buried in her hands. "I'm so sorry." 

The tears finally came, and once they did, they didn't stop for quite some time. Alex was dead, and it was all her fault, if she hadn't been so adamant about keeping her promise to Nasedo and fulfill the deal he made with Khivar forty years earlier. She contiued to cry, but she wasn't the only person she cried for. She cried for Alex, for ending his life so soon. She cried for Isabel, for taking the life of the boy she loved from her. She cried for Maria for losing her best friend. And she cried for Liz for losing the boy she had considered a brother. 

She couldn't believe it, here she was crying for Liz. The girl who had taken Max away from her, Max was hers. He belonged to her, they belonged together. It was their destiny, why couldn't anyone see that? She didn't care that Michael and Isabel didn't follow their destiny. All that mattered was Max, that she and Max were together. It's all she was raised to believe. Nasedo had told her it was all that was mattered. 

Nasedo. Where was he when she needed him. He was always there for her, always there to take away the fear, the pain, the anger, the joy, the happiness. Take it all away. 

Tess's thoughts drifted towards Kyle, she had used him to help get rid of Alex's body. She never had any intention of getting close to Kyle, but she actually found herself caring for him. He had managed to creep into her heart and claim a place in there. She felt different around Kyle, like she wasn't herself. He trusted her, never once questioned her. And she had used him, used him to help get rid of Alex's body. If he ever found out, Tess couldn't bare to think what Kyle's reaction would be. 

Nasedo had told her about a deal he had made with Khivar. A deal that would bring an end to the war and all the senseless killing. The deal that would restore her to the rightful place as the queen. Nasedo told her that if anything ever happened to him then she would have to complete the mission. That it was her mission as the queen of Antar to perserve the peace. And for the first time since, she felt as if she couldn't fulfill the mission. Then it became clear to her. She couldn't do it, not like this. Not with all these emotions swirling around in her head. After a long while Tess finally had the solution, the only solution that would allow her to complete the mission. 

Turning off the shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and headed to her room. Once inside she opened the closet door revealing the mirror. Tess took one last look at herself, the self she would no longer remember. She closed her eyes and began concentrating. She searched her mind and found the feelings that were causing her difficulty. The feelings of guilt she had for Alex's death, of doubt she had about completely her mission, and the feelings that she was betraying her friends. Taking a deep breath she began the mindwarp and erased those feelings. When it was done she looked in the mirror and smiled. With a satisfied look on her face she dried herself off and got dressed. Soon she would have Max, her child, and more importantly her way home. 

**TBC...**


End file.
